Remote work occurs when professionals are permitted to work outside of a traditional office environment. Today, there are more businesses than ever choosing to create remote offices for their workers due to concerns surrounding the pandemic. According to The New York Times, there has been an average of 34,588 new cases of COVID-19 each day as of September 12. Setting up a remote office has been found to help reduce the spread of the virus by enabling employees to social distance.
Benefits Of Remote Offices
Having the freedom to work from home or from another remote location can be highly beneficial to both employees and management. Some of the top benefits of remote offices include:
Keeping Employees Safe From Diseases & Viruses
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, many employers have made the decision to offer remote work. In fact, in a March survey sent by law firm Seyfarth to 550 U.S. employers, 67 percent of the employers surveyed were taking steps to allow staff to work from home and 36 percent were actively encouraging employees to work from home. Setting up a remote office can also protect employees from other communicable diseases and viruses, such as the flu and the common cold.
Increased Employee Autonomy
Employee autonomy refers to the extent in which employees have discretion and control on how they perform their job roles. In a traditional office setting, management generally has more control and visibility but employees may feel micromanaged. With a remote office, managers are able to periodically check in with staff without the employee feeling as if the manager is hovering.
Increased employee autonomy gives employees the opportunity to learn, grow, and become the best versions of themselves. More autonomy can result in greater job satisfaction and can be a motivating factor for staff to succeed. To master employee autonomy, managers must trust their employees’ skills, capabilities, and decisions.
Lower Operational Costs
The cost of running an office can be substantial and the larger the office, the higher the expenses. Allowing employees to work remotely can drastically reduce operational costs by reducing the amount of space needed for employees. When staff is allowed to work from home part-time or full-time, business owners can realistically downsize to a smaller space. Although the concept is not always favored by employees, establishing a hot-desking policy could also help cut down on the amount of space needed while giving employees the freedom to work remotely.
Employee Productivity Increased
Remote work not only provides employees with more freedom, but can also boost their productivity. In a 2019 survey conducted by Airtasker, 1004 full-time employees throughout the United States were polled. Those that worked from home reported an increase in productivity levels and overall healthier lifestyles.
Working remotely helps to eliminate many of the downsides of going to a traditional office job, such as the commute. Employees can also save money by having fewer vehicle maintenance expenses and spending less on gas. Remote office work can even help the environment by reducing the number of people taking cars, buses, and trains to and from the office.
Retain More Employees
In a survey recently conducted by FlexJobs, 1500 job seekers were looking for more flexible work options and 82 percent of employees said that they would be more loyal to employers that offered flexible work options. Today, many businesses are offering remote work options as an attractive perk to draw in and retain top talent. More employees desire the flexibility and freedom to work from home and employers enjoy the cost savings and larger hiring pool that often accompanies remote work options. Employees that value flexible work options are more likely to remain at a job that offers these benefits.
How To Maintain A High Level Of IT Security
While setting up a remote office can be highly advantageous for both staff and management, there are some risks involved. Remote workers rely heavily on their devices and the internet to perform job duties and to stay in touch with management. However, the use of technology poses certain security risks, such as the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches. To help eliminate these security challenges faced by a remote workforce, it is important to work with a professional managed IT services provider to keep systems protected and troubleshoot IT problems as they occur.
Reach Out To A Professional Managed IT Services Provider
Security challenges can develop anytime that there is a shift in a work environment. When new vulnerabilities come to light, it is critical for businesses to take the necessary steps to protect their remote office environment. A professional managed IT services provider can help protect businesses from potential IT threats. For more information about setting up a remote office, reach out to the experienced managed IT service providers at TCB 24×7 Expert Network IT Support. Their experienced staff is ready to assist you with all of your managed IT services. Call us at (703) 783-2781 or contact us online to speak with a professional managed IT services provider at TCB Inc.